> > However, always using '\' isn't a substitute for a real convention. > Seeing a > backslash doesn't necessarily signify a class name, which is the > point of a > naming convention.
I just realized there are two issues here. 1) Having a convention for class names 2) Making it safe to define words that shadow class names I'm not really interested in 1) because it doesn't seem useful to me to know that something if something is a class or not. Mousing over a word will tell you that. Also, most of the time, a class name is followed by new or boa, or this is encapsulated in a constructor. I think a better distinction is "inert word" or "live explosive word". In this vein, it would make sense to find a single syntax for this, which is what \ does for symbols, word names, and class names. If you're passing around classes to be constructed later, then I think just knowing they're inert and having "class" in the stack effect is enough. >> I don't want to have "syntax creep" because it would take away from >> Factor's >> simplicity. > > I wouldn't call a naming convention syntax, because it isn't > enforced. An > example of syntax creep is when '<' became an invalid slot name. > Syntax is > like authority, it's sometimes necessary but it should be justified. > The > latter example was justified. > > As far as a naming convention affecting the simplicity of the > language itself, > I have to defer to Perlis: > > Symmetry is a complexity-reducing concept; seek it everywhere > > I've always considered consistency to be a form of symmetry. I guess what I meant was "syntactic sugar creep". Both suck. Doug ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Moblin Your Move Developer's challenge Build the coolest Linux based applications with Moblin SDK & win great prizes Grand prize is a trip for two to an Open Source event anywhere in the world http://moblin-contest.org/redirect.php?banner_id=100&url=/ _______________________________________________ Factor-talk mailing list Factor-talk@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/factor-talk
